Bidisha Ershad, the arrested wife of Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad, has been tipped that she may be allowed a safe passage abroad in exchange for her stepping aside from politics.
Now on a three-day remand in a trivial case relating to theft of her husband's mobile and vandalism inside his residence, she has also been told that unless she accepts the offer, more cases may be filed against her. These cases may relate to money laundering and conspiracy against the state.
Sources said Bidisha may be asked to give statements on Ershad's source of money, his dealings with 'shady' people, both local and foreign, and his next plan in politics.
Bidisha's father Abu Bakar Siddiq met Ershad yesterday morning, who assured him of withdrawing the case against his wife on three conditions - that Abu Bakar sends his daughter abroad, that she will not return before the next general elections and that her son Eric will stay with Ershad. But Ershad told him in the afternoon that he can do nothing now and that the issue has "spun out of his control".
Earlier, at 2:40pm Bidisha was taken out of the Gulshan Police Station yesterday after her overnight stay there following her arrest and taken to the court for remand.
BIDISHA FAINTS
The police took Bidisha to the court custody in a white microbus at around 2:40pm yesterday amid tight security, some 21 and a half hours into her arrest and confinement at Gulshan Police Station. Later, several policewomen carried on hands a seriously ill-looking Bidisha to the dock of the Court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Dhaka at 3:20pm.
She fainted immediately afterwards, prompting the policewomen to pour water on her head and massage her body. She regained her senses after about 10 minutes. During hearing, Bidisha sat on a chair while defence lawyer Shafiuddin Bhuiyan argued for the court setting her free on bail.
STRIFE BLAMED
A JP presidium member put the suit against Bidisha and her subsequent arrest down to a strife between two groups of JP leaders, with one keen on maintaining a good relation with the ruling BNP and the other with main opposition Awami League.
The former president flies off to Saudi Arabia at 12:00 this afternoon, but it could not be known when he would return.
Son Eric Ershad and JP Vice-Chairman Golam Mosih will accompany him in Saudi Arabia, which he visits every six month for medical check-up, said a JP press release. He will also perform Umrah with Eric there.
Ershad has completed all procedures to divorce Bidisha and it is only a matter of time before the divorce letter reaches his second wife, sources said.
"There is no chance of a reconciliation between Ershad and Bidisha," said a close aide to Ershad, seeking anonymity. "There is also no possibility of Bidisha returning to Jatiya Party politics."
CASE MEANT FOR HUMILIATION
Bhuiyan said the case was filed to harass and humiliate her, and the government pressured Ershad into filing the case to advance its petty interests. Moreover, Bidisha is a victim of both the media and the government.
In the face of the government pressure, complainant Ershad signed the FIR (first information report), he added.
The defence lawyer argued that the sections under which the charges have been brought against Bidisha are not applicable in this case, because a husband or a wife cannot bring charges like breach of trust (406), cheating (420), theft (379) and mischief (427 of Bangladesh Penal Code) against each other in accordance with the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
The lawyer also maintained that Section 497 of the CrPC provides for the court's granting bail to aged people, women, and mothers having sucking baby.
"Bidisha deserves bail as she is seriously ill and has a four-year-old suckling baby. Moreover, she fainted in the dock of the court," Siddiq told the court.
The forwarding report placed before the court by Investigation officer (IO) Kazi Nure Alam, also officer in charge of Gulshan Police Station, said Bidisha is plotting the former president's assassination by assailants, and for this, Ershad is passing days in insecurity, which is why she needs to be quizzed on remand to hunt down the goons.
The court, however, rejected the petition and observed that the complainant is a former president, who mentioned in the FIR that the accused had been threatening attempts on his life. Besides, sections 379 and 406 are non-bailable and the case is at the primary stage of investigation. It then placed Bidisha on a three-day remand for interrogation.
The court also directed the IO to take great caution during the questioning, which is to take place in presence of female police officials, and take proper steps for her treatment.
"MENTALLY DISTURBED"
Bidisha later told reporters in the packed courtroom that her husband is mentally disturbed. "He does not know what he does and says," she said, looking distraught.
Continued Bidisha: "He did not file the case against me according to his own will. He did it on being pressured by the government and provoked by a section of party leaders."
"I still love Ershad and he will probably understand that what he has done is wrong."
ONLOOKERS CLUBBED
The police charged baton on a few thousand onlookers who crowded the heavily-guarded court premises to get a glimpse of Bidisha, according to witnesses. The law-enforcers also misbehaved with the lawyers who gathered at the courtroom during the hearing.
NIGHT IN LOCK-UP
Bidisha was confined to the lock-up of Gulshan Police Station like general arrestees. She slept on the floor and was provided with only a table fan and a mosquito coil, said police sources and Siddiq who visited her at the police station yesterday morning.
Siddiq alleged that he was barred for about half an hour from seeing his daughter. Bidisha was reserved and looked sick during the confinement and did not have her dinner, the sources said.
Dr Hasan of Rajarbagh Police Lines Hospital who attended to her at about 1:00pm yesterday said, "She is quiet, very reserved."
Bidisha was taken out of the police station at about 2:00pm in a covered police van to keep her out of the view.